Biskopsborgen
Götene

No date for the beginning of construction has been preserved in medieval sources. However, most evidence suggests that work began during the 12th century and continued in several stages until the 1480s.

The builder was Brynolf Gerlaksson, Bishop of Skara. In addition to Husaby, he had three other fortified castles: most notably the magnificent Läckö Castle, as well as the fortified estates of Brunnsbo and Säckestad. The construction of the castle was almost certainly part of the final Catholic bishops' efforts to assert their authority in opposition to the power of the Crown.

The castle had a very short lifespan. Following the Västerås Recess of 1527, the castle was confiscated by the Crown and was probably deliberately burned and demolished soon afterwards, as Gustav Vasa would not tolerate any rivals to royal authority in the country.

The only surviving account of the castle's interior states that Bishop Brynolf kept portraits of all his predecessors in the episcopal see in the great throne hall. The curtain wall, which is mainly constructed of fieldstone, has two entrances: a simpler portal on the southern side and the main entrance on the eastern side. The latter had a gatehouse, probably combined with a wooden staircase leading directly to the second floor of the main tower.

The eastern range of the courtyard, together with parts of the small building to the north-east and the gatehouse, was constructed using brick and timber framing. It contained important service areas, including a smithy and a finely built bread oven. Another oven or hearth was located to the south, where a hand mill was discovered during the excavations. A covered and subsequently filled-in well was also located in the southern section. The kitchen was probably situated in this part of the castle.

After the main tower had been constructed, another building was erected alongside it, known as the “Kasematten”. It measured approximately 10 by 7 metres and, in its present surroundings, has a rather unusual appearance. The walls are exceptionally thick, and the lower section has what appear to be loopholes on three sides. However, these can hardly have served that purpose for very long, as they are positioned far too close to ground level and would have provided a range of only a few metres. The curtain wall lies immediately beyond them, suggesting that the wall probably belongs to a later phase of construction.

A portal leads from the building into the hall of the main tower. In the building to the north is an excellent well, and a few metres further north is a hot air furnace. Channels must have carried warm air from the furnace into the main tower.

The main tower is almost square, with sides measuring 16 metres, and was approximately the same height. It is constructed largely of sandstone and, particularly in its upper sections, has suffered extensive fire damage.

The lower section is partly preserved. One square room had a wooden ceiling and probably served as a storeroom. Adjacent to it is a smaller rectangular room with a barrel vault and a finely pointed arched window facing north. The room is accessed via a well constructed stone staircase and was probably used as a castle chapel.

Next to the staircase is a smaller space with a narrow window opening to the outside, which was probably a prison cell. Above these rooms was the hall of the main tower, which originally had two cross vaults. From here, a stone staircase led to the next floor. Above this were several rooms belonging to the bishop's private suite. At least two further wooden floors and two additional storeys were originally present in the tower.

The castle underwent several phases of construction. The main tower was built first, followed by the casemate and parts of the eastern courtyard range. Only afterwards was the curtain wall probably completed.

The excavations produced a considerable number of loose finds, including an eight sided barrelled hand cannon, a recoil hook dating from the 14th century, several firearms and arrowheads, spearheads, swords, stone cannonballs, pieces of armour and axes, including a “bearded axe”, probably a billhook. Other finds included picks, drills, a ploughshare, knives, chisels, scissors and tongs, but very little pottery.

On the runestone standing in the churchyard at Husaby, it is possible to read that Assur, Sven and Tore erected the stone in memory of their father Oluf. The stone is therefore a memorial stone. It is possible that a stone that once stood here and is now housed at the Swedish History Museum was originally erected as a standing stone. It bears the inscription: “Olof set up this stone in memory of Redar, his son.” Which Olof is meant is uncertain. It is tempting to associate him with Olof Skötkonung, but there is no evidence to support this.

During the early Middle Ages, Husaby must have been one of Sweden's most significant places in terms of both the Crown and the Church, and it was therefore probably also a fortified site. The church itself was equipped with a substantial stone tower during the 11th century, which served as a defensive structure.

As the Church appears to have regarded Husaby as one of its most important sites, a castle was constructed here and seems to have undergone continual expansion throughout its existence. The fact that the castle was burned could have several possible explanations. It is conceivable that its occupants did not surrender willingly when it was confiscated by the Crown, but that it was attacked and burned. The castle was certainly capable of putting up resistance.

Given the size and importance of the castle, it must have been well guarded, with a considerable number of soldiers available for its defence. However, if it was confiscated by the Crown and deliberately burned, Husaby probably lost its importance to the Crown and was no longer considered to have any significant strategic or defensive value. It may instead have been destroyed simply to suppress the power of the Church in the country.

Husaby Church itself was left untouched, and after this period Husaby appears to have lost its former leading position in Sweden.

Getting Here by Public Transport

By bus with Västtrafik

The destination can be reached by Västtrafik bus. Get off at the Husaby bus stop. For timetable information, visit www.vasttrafik.se, or plan your journey using the Västtrafik To Go app or journey planner.

For questions or further information, visit www.vasttrafik.se.

By Närtrafik

Närtrafik is a demand responsive transport service for rural areas. It collects passengers from a chosen address within a designated rural area and takes them to a bus stop within the municipality, or operates in the opposite direction. Maps and timetables for Närtrafik can be found here.

• Book your journey by calling +46 (0)771 91 90 90 at least one hour in advance, within the designated time periods.
• The fare is the same as a standard single ticket. Payment can be made through the app, by card or in cash.